For most of history, many gaming establishments have provided a category of gaming that utilized some form of a gaming table. This category of games, known as table games, could employ one or more dealers and include one or more game elements (e.g., playing cards, dice, balls, and the like) employed upon a playing surface of a gaming table. This category could include card games (e.g., blackjack, pai gow, poker, baccarat, and the like) and non-card games (e.g., roulette, craps, and the like). This category of games, unlike the gaming of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) (e.g., slot machines, fully automated dealer-less electronic table games and the like) and the like, provided players with the warm touch of human interaction encapsulated within the bonds of gaming camaraderie, in which intelligent players gathered socially to match wits against other worthy opponents (e.g., players) as well as the dealer.
Despite the wonderful human bonding experience of table-based games, the cold, hand-pulling world of electronic gaming machines (e.g., slot machines) is beginning to seriously displace table-based games (e.g., craps, roulette, and card games such as blackjack, pai gow, poker, and baccarat) in many gaming establishments. One reason for this displacement could be that electronic gaming machines (and the like), through their now electronic operating systems, can be coupled into a unifying computer-based system, which can offer either single or a multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot features that are very popular with the players. These single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot games can collect small percentages of the players' bets (or wagers) from numerous slot machines located over a wide area of locations and diverts them into a “larger payout pool” or jackpot, which may accumulate quite quickly. This “larger payout pool” or jackpot is won when a player bets the required maximum bet amount and the wheels of the slot machine land on a predetermined winning criterion on the machine. These single/multi-tier progressive jackpots can offer to the individual players of a networked electronic gaming machine (and the like) a chance of winning a much greater payout than could be practical through an isolated electronic gaming machine (and the like).
For example, a progressive jackpot for electronic gaming machines (and the like), known as “MEGABUCKS®”, enables players to win in excess of seven million dollars; however, players are only eligible for this large jackpot if they wager the maximum bet. If the players wager less than the maximum bet and the winning MEGABUCKS® symbols appear on the pay line, he or she wins a much smaller jackpot.
Large payoff single/multi-tier bonuses (e.g., MEGABUCKS® or POWERBALL®) are accumulated progressively, and it usually takes a considerable length of time (such as weeks or even months) for a player to win the large MEGABUCKS® award. This is generally because the mathematical odds of winning the MEGABUCKS® award are in excess of thirty million to one (30,000,000:1). In contrast, other progressive electronic gaming machines (and the like) (e.g., WHEEL OF FORTUNE®, TOTEM POLE®, and video draw poker) offer what are known as “instant bonus payouts” where a player can win after each spin of the reels; however, the bonus amounts are usually quite small. Table gaming on the other hand, has traditionally been unable to be electronically networked together because table gaming has generally relied upon human interaction for providing one or more actions of the game, which may determine the outcome of the play (e.g., a dealer rolling a ball on a roulette wheel, a dealer dealing out cards, a player rolling dice in the game of craps, and the like) generally making it hard to convert or report such actions or corresponding results into an electronic data format that can be readily electronically processed/analyzed/stored/and/or retrieved. An electronic gaming machine (and the like) on the other hand, having game play generated within an electronic environment generally uses electronic means to report play outcome and can thus readily have the play outcome and the like presented in an electronic data format for electronic processing/analyzing/storing and/or retrieving. Because of the limitations that may be found in many current technologies in trying to passively convert the game action and wagering of a table game into an electronic data format that can be handled by an computer system 38, it has been difficult to provide table games with the exciting and game-enhancing benefits that a computer system 38 can provide, such as single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot features, smart card technologies, player-loyalty reward systems, player tracking systems, game play wager tracking, and the like.
Although table games have, in the past, had the limited ability to put forth (and receive) electronic data relating to their action and wagering (e.g., like the capability of electronic gaming machines [and the like] and their associated electronic system), gaming establishments have not been able to make use of this already-collected data to its fullest extent or much less expand on the types of data mined (as they do with electronic gaming machines and the like). If data mining capacity, and the data mining expansion capability could be associated with information obtained through the invention, then there could be the creation of one or more databases for table game play and wagering (along with its associated inner-gaming establishment commerce possibilities). This data mining could become a very powerful and important tool in the gaming industry because it could allow a gaming establishment to obtain much needed player and game information to properly suit or alter the table gaming environment, action, wagering, and the like to generally provide a tremendous increase in the gaming enjoyment of its table-game-playing patrons. Furthermore, such an expanded dataset and data collection capability may be altered and applied beyond the gaming table arena (e.g., gaming table data and gaming table analysis models and methodologies could be applied to electronic gaming machines and/or other gaming devices within any gaming establishment). This data mining may include recording and processing immediate and historical game play (e.g., how often certain card combinations occur; player strategies, how fast a dealer is “running” a table [e.g., “game turnover”]; the overall performance of the various types of gaming tables (e.g., average bet by player, table, pit, game etc); headcount data (e.g., players playing per hour, day, month, year, etc); wagering (e.g., how profitable the game is to the gaming establishment; what types of game wagers are most popular with players (e.g., in craps, many players may like to place field bets rather than bets on the “don't pass” area, so gaming establishment operators might use this information to invoke special incentives in order to encourage players to bet on other table options offered by the table [rather than field bets]); determination of the individual player's wagering habits (e.g., betting and/or strategy data and the like) and/or player preferences/dislikes (e.g., building a player profile to best serve that player, etc.); and the like.
Such database building could provide the gaming establishment with the ability to tremendously increase the players' enjoyment of gaming tables (and thereby gaming establishment operators' profits), even more so than could generally be accomplished with electronic gaming machines (and the like). Wherein electronic gaming machines (and the like) are generally seen as a solitary relation (e.g., one player to one electronic gaming machines [and the like]), gaming tables can accommodate several players at once thereby providing a gaming environment whereby human psychology of group dynamics may occur (e.g., a “fire” or “hot action” craps table often draws in more players, something which an electronic gaming machine [and the like], with its one-to-one dynamic, generally does not). If a gaming table could be provided with electronic data capacity and networking capability similar to that of an electronic gaming machine (and the like) system, then theoretically, the gaming establishment could possibly better manage the gaming environment of a group of players through one electronic gaming table machine both on collective and on individual levels. For example, if a craps table could have the electronic data capacity and networking capability similar to that of an electronic gaming machine (and the like) system, then gaming establishments could possibly detect a hot action craps table and then possibly electronically alter the payback odds (in accordance with applicable regulatory and jurisdictional laws and regulations) (e.g., lowering the payback odds from 40 to 1 to 7 to 1) for or against the house to possibly control or guide the “fire” to maximize its effect on increasing player gaming enjoyment.
Additionally, if gaming tables could be electronically interfaced or otherwise linked to a central server, the gaming establishment could place a whole host of services, comps, gratuities, and the like at the fingertips of gaming table players (as is possible with electronic gaming machines). These enticements could enhance immediate gaming pleasure as well as provide incentives for the player to share information with the gaming establishment (to help the gaming establishment improve their services and/or further bolster their data processing/analyzing/storing and/or retrieving activities) and to improve the player's long term gaming experience at the gaming establishment as well.
However, in the past, when gaming innovators have attempted to incorporate various types of electronic features and/or interfaces, these electronic features and/or interfaces acted more as an interference force—seriously disrupting the flow of play and substantially leading to serious diminishment of the players' gaming enjoyment thereby resulting in decreased player participation as well as gaming establishments' profitability.
As electronic gaming machines (and the like) continue to cut into areas of table-based gaming, gaming establishments could see a continued resulting economic loss of those revenues traditionally bought in by those players who value games that require skill (e.g., card games, craps, and roulette) or those players who value the human social interaction that may be provided by traditional table gaming.
In an attempt to aid gaming establishments in their efforts to reduce the costs of operating gaming tables, gaming manufactures have been steadily employing the use of electronic means while simultaneously reducing the importance and even the presence of human interaction (which is generally provided in gaming table action). Generally speaking, the current trend for multiplayer gaming (e.g., gaming tables) technology is to try for full automation and control of gaming tables to the point where the use of an actual human dealer is eliminated. These attempts try to use various electronic technologies to translate physical human activities of the game play into electronic data that can be processed/analyzed/stored and/or retrieved by a computer system 38. Some of these systems also attempt to use one or more different variations of a game element reader (e.g., the Shufflemaster® iShoe™, and the like) and player recognition technology in their products.
Current electronic table gaming technology, even while employing the most current, up-to-date, state-of-the-art, high-tech game element readers 36 (e.g., the Shufflemaster® iShoe™, Microsoft® Surface™ or other surface computing platforms, and the like) and player recognition technologies, is still in the developmental stage. These technologies generally lack the capabilities needed to consistently and correctly determine which player or dealer has received what cards (or other game elements). This general inability may be seen as a potentially severe limitation to successful deployment and use of such computer system 38s with gaming table play and wagering. Present efforts appear to try to primarily rely on technology alone to solve the problems associated with gaming table automation. It appears that full automation of gaming tables may not yet be successful without some deployment of sound human judgment, facilitation, and management within the gaming table play and wagering.
Another aspect of gaming tables is the utilization of gaming chips for wagering activities. The gaming industry has invested enormous resources toward the process of evolving yesteryears' lowly gaming establishment chip into today's technological betting marvel. Chips of the past were manufactured from everything from clay composite to plastic to acrylic composite. Today's chips employ everything from invisible ultraviolet bar codes, computer chips, radio frequency identification chips (RFID), and the like. Additionally, all gaming establishments utilize sophisticated in-house logistic, accounting, and security measures composed of (but not limited to) pit personnel, accountants, and security agents for the transfer, accounting, and tracking of these gaming chips. This all in contrast to the accounting systems of many electronic gaming machines (and the like) that can electronically process and reconcile all associated electronic gaming machine (and the like) wagering.
Another limitation in not having gaming tables being electronically linked to a gaming establishment's system can be seen when a player, in order to access his or her electronic account within the gaming establishment, must physically hand over to a dealer or other employees of the gaming establishment their electronic player's club card, smart card, and the like. The gaming establishment employee then has to take the card (generally to another location in the gaming area having an electronic card interface [e.g., a player's monetary device] to the computer system 38) to properly access the player's account within the gaming establishment and, if needed, to provide an accreditation to the account for the player's gaming action at the gaming table. Additionally, a player must also discontinue their gaming action at a gaming table (which equates to lost revenue for the gaming establishment) and go to other parts of the gaming establishment whenever the player wishes to engage in non-gaming related establishment services such as: restaurant reservations, room reservations, venue reservations (show, sporting, special events, etc.), cashing out, ordering drinks, recalling their valet-parked vehicle, and the like.
What is needed therefore is generally a system and methodology for an electronic gaming system, wherein the system utilizes a human dealer to observe game table play and/or wagering and to actively transmit one or more of such observations or actions of the dealer to computer system 38 through one or more dealer's electronic interfaces (e.g., touch screen, touch-sensitive screen, etc.) thus generally allowing the computer system 38 to process the game play generally in real time. The system may further provide one or more electronic interfaces for a respective player of the gaming table for the identification of the player to the system; the placement of wagers (thereby eliminating physical gaming establishment betting chips) by the player at the gaming table; and the processing of player requests for non-gaming associated services (e.g., ordering a drink, buying tickets to a show, etc) and the like. The invention, in providing one or more of these elements, may allow one or more such electronic gaming tables to be electronically connected or otherwise networked to a computer system 38 and the coupling of gaming tables with electronic system-based features such as a single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot and the like. The invention may further provide for a table game associated single/multi-tier progressive bonus jackpot further featuring a predetermined maximum payout amount or “cap” which may generate greater game play interest and excitement.